sano yoshimi

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is the most frequent cleft malformation seen in the maxillofacial region and morphological changes have been observed when evaluating treatment. However, few studies have reported regarding changes in oral function in affected patients. We investigated changes in physiological characteristics of sucking function along with perioral muscle activity and sucking pressure in infants with CLP.Twelve infants with unilateral CLP underwent a cheiloplasty procedure at the center of the cleft lip and palate at Fujita Health University Hospital. Measurements were performed before, and 1 week and 3 months after the cheiloplasty. Electromyogram (EMG) findings from the bilateral temporal (L-R, TM) and masseter (L-R, MM) muscles, as well as the orbicularis oris (OM) of the healthy side and the suprahyoid (SM) muscles were recorded. Values for sucking pressure and EMG findings obtained from healthy infants at the age of 3 months were used as a control.We found that both sucking cycle time and negative pressure duration during sucking were significantly longer following the operation. Activities on both sides of the TM, OM, and for total muscle were significantly increased after the operation, while sucking pressure was also significantly increased at 3 months. A comparison of CLP infants at 3 months after the cheiloplasty with the control group showed that SM activity was significantly decreased in the former.In conclusion, the duration of negative pressure in a sucking cycle increased following cheiloplasty procedures, which seemed to be effective for formation of negative intraoral pressure. However, EMG activity of the SM in the CLP remained low after the cheiloplasty, indicating that tongue movement during sucking was weaker than that in full-term normal infants.